#ProtectYourWang! Alexander Wang is Bringing His Party to the Pride Parade

Get ready for a #WangFest! Alexander Wang’s post-show fetes may be legendary enough to warrant hashtags and collections devoted to their existence, but you won’t need a wristband to get into his latest celebration. By partnering with Trojan for a special float, set to premiere at these weekend’s Pride festivities in Manhattan, Wang is set to bring the vibrant atmosphere of his famed parties to the streets. “I’ve wanted to do this for a while,” says Wang in his Soho office. “I reached out to Trojan last year and timing-wise we weren’t able to make it work, so this year when it came around I was like, Oh, I’ve got to get back in touch with them. We’ve never been able to participate in a big way with the Pride celebration, especially in New York.”

Designed by Wang and Matte Projects to remind guests of the importance of safe sex while keeping things lighthearted, the sleek all-black vehicle, with its cheeky “ProtectYourWang” slogan, isn’t your typical parade float. If the design calls to mind the party buses that have served as sets for Wang’s campaigns, that’s exactly the vibe Wang was going for. “Everyone knows I love a party bus,” says Wang with a laugh. “Usually things are quite hidden and veiled, and the idea was just exposing everything inside.” Equipped with all the club essentials—DJ booths, stripper poles—the mobile version of Wang’s world is sure to give onlookers a kick. “[We wanted] something where people can participate and be a little voyeuristic,” he says.

The spectacle of Pride’s revelry has had a lasting impact on Wang, and he remembers his first trip to the parade in his native San Francisco with fondness. “It was like nothing I’d ever seen before,” he says. “Just the amount of people that came from all over the world to dress up and have a good time—it was visual overload. It was one of the big celebrations that I would always look forward to, and I think, especially this year, it’s incredibly important to do anything I can to bring awareness to the community and spread a message of love.”

With LGBTQ rights at the center of debate in Washington, D.C., and the fashion climate increasingly politicized, Pride Month’s importance has never been more evident. Still, Wang shies away from the suggestion that his brand is wading into activism. “I feel so uncomfortable with that word; for me, it sounds so harsh,” he says. “It’s more just: What can I do to help, participate, and work with people who share my beliefs? We’re together in this. We can celebrate our shared and even different points of view and learn from [each other].”

Though Wang remains mum on which members of his squad will be joining him on board the float, he promises plenty of thrills ahead. “It’s going to be a really fun group of people,” he says. “I’m probably just going to jump off the float and start dancing on the street out of excitement!”